News of the Week.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 1, 24 April 1885, Page 9

News of the Week.

Friday. At the present time (says the Wellington Post) 85 members of the Armed Constabulary force are receiving instruction in artillery work at the Mount (Took barracks. The coarse of drill is somewhat severe, and every man is earning every penny he receives from Government. The daily drills occupy seven and a half hours. The first commences at 6. 30 a.m., and iB of an hour and a half's duration ; the second extends from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. ; the third is from 2 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. ; and the fourth is from 6 p.m. to 7 p .m. There are four instructors. All of them are thoroughly qualified men, and the force to whom they are imparting instruction is making very satisfactory progress. Fifty -fire out of 85 are learning to work, big guns, the remainder being instructed in the use of the gin, a contrivance employed to move cannon about. By means of the gin in use at the barracks one man finds no difficulty in lifting a piece of artillery weighing, nearly a ton and a half. Major Goring and Captains Ooleman and Gudgeon take part in every, drill, occupying positions in the ranks. Another detachment of men is expected from the North shortly, the intention being to have over 100 members of the force capable of working the big gnns which are being erected for the protection of the fonr chief ports of the Colony. The mounting of a seven-ton gun, was successfully accomplished i at St. Clair, near Dunedin, yesterday. The tramway to the battery - site at Lawyer's Head is completed. The gun will be fixed in position about Wednesday next. The ceremony of turning the first sod of the North Island Tiunk railway, at the Te Awamutu end of line, was performed on Wednesday afternoon, and witnessed by a large assemblage of Natives and i Europeans. The preliminary operations are begun on the south branch of the Tenui River, three miles from Te Awamutu, and immediately within the boundary of what is known as the King Country. Around tie spot selected for the ceremony, Europeans and Natives to the number of 600 eat or stood in apparent anxious expectancy. The importance of the event appeared to be fully realised by all. Sir Thomas Brassey, First Secretary of the Admiralty, states that the names of vessels belonging to the Colonial navies, when such have been organised, will appear in the official navy lists. Prince Bismarck has issued an order forbidding German manufacturers to supply torpedoes to any foreign Power, i The French Government have demanded that the French paper Bos* phore Egyptien, which has been suppressed by the Egyptian Govern* ment for animadverting on the Government policy in reference to the Soudan, shall be re-licensed. Nubar Pasha states, in reply, that his Government were quite justified in stopping the paper. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales were received with enthusiasm on their public appearance in Cork, and demonstrations of disloyalty were confined to occasional hisses among the bystanders. The hostile demonstration made on their arrival led to a riot, during which revolvers were used, and the troops charged with fixed bayonets. Several persons were wounded. Subject to General Kornaroff not advancing, the basis of the Afghan frontier delimitation will be agreed upon. The town of Penj-deh will be ceded to Russia, the Ameer of Afghanistan consenting. Earl Dufferin, who is now returning from Bawal Pindi to Calcutta, was presented at. Lahore to-day with an address from the local Municipal Board. In replying to it his Excellency took occasion to say that the dominions of the Ameer of Afghanistan had been the scene of an unprovoked attack on the part, of the Russian forces, and he rejoiced to find that the .princes and people of India were rallying to the British standard. It was impossible, his Excellency added, to foresee the end of the present crisis, but if war resulted it would be in despite of the efforts of moderation on the part of ' England. The offer made by the Canadian Government in March last, to send 3000 men to the Soudan, has been renewed, but this time the offer is for service in Afghanistan. In the event of an outbreak of hostilities the Shah of Persia offers England the assistance of 40,000 troops. BATtJBDAY. The Westport Coal Company intend recommencing work in their mine on Monday next. Sixty new miners have been eDgaged in other parts of the Colony to take the place of the men who struck work in December last. The first instalment of new hands arrived to-day. A large meeting is to be held in London to take into consideration the condition of the British navy. The Scots Grejs, with a detachment of artillery and two guns, as well as a squadron of lancers, advanced on Thursday without opposition as far as Otao Wells, a point about 20 miles from Snakim on the road to Berber, and formed a zareeba there. The new Mahdi has captured the town of El Obeid from the followers of the Mahdi. A dispatch has been received from General Komaroff, dated 6th April, in which he states that after the hostilities on the 30th ult. the remnant of the Afghan force fled to Herat. A detachment of Russian troops remain at the Pulkilista fort, two miles north of Penjdeh, General Komaroff concludes his dispatch by stating that an advance is at present needless. Persistent rumours are current that a peaceful settlement has been effected of the Russo- Afghan difficulty, but nothing tangible has transpired. The paily Telegraph's Vienna correspondent states that the Russian reply to England says that the Czar considers war would be deplorable, and hopes that prompt arrangements may be arranged for a pacific solution of the difficulty. It is stated that in considering the dispatch the British Cabinet gladly accept the terms of the communication. Stocks are rising. In the House of Commons on Thursday Mr. Gladstone took oocasion to deny the statement circulated to the effect that Penj-deh has been ceded to Russia. .

The Journal de St. Petersburg oontaina •> report that the Afghan* intend to revolt in favour of Russia. Monday. '• The Coptic b&s been chartered by the Imperial Government •% ; a fast cruiser for the New Zealand coasts. Arrangements are now being made to avoid sending heron a homeward voyage. She will tow the ship Northumberland to Napier to take the cargo of frozen meat which iB now ready at that port, and the cargo which was to have followed in the Northumberland will be put aboard the ship Lyttelton and steamship Arawa, The Coptic will, go from here to Wellington with her original cargo, and will then be at once fitted up for her new service. She may for this purpose have to go to Australia. The Government have cabled to the agent-general to procure and at once forward 2000 stand of the latest military rifles (MartiniHenry) to the Colony, together with all the necessary appointments. The Defence Minister having agreed to accept the services of the 1 Timaru Rifle Volunteer Company, the roll is being rapidly filled np. Over 50 names were given last night. A messenger- has arrived with a letter to General Graham from the chiefs of the Amara tribe offering a force of 5000 men to join i the British against Osman Digma. The stock m&Tket is improving, as apprehensions of war between ; England and Russia are subsiding. Consols have advanced by IJ, < and are now quoted at 97. The market rate of discount has declined to 2} per cent, and iB now 1 per cent, below the bank rate. It has transpired that in his late dispatch to the Government General Komaroff announced that when Penj-deh and the posts in the neighbourhood were evacuated by the Afghans and the latter fled. to Herat, he deemed it expedient to place Penj-deh under temporary Russian administration. Sir Julius Vogel on Saturday afternoon received a cable message from the- Agent-general stating that the prospects of peace are ! less gloomy. If the colonies pay the necessary cost, the Admiralty are willing to.supply men and maintain the men-of-war belonging to the colonial navies. The N.Z. Shipping Company's steamer Kaikoura ha&jbeen selected byjthe Admiralty for equipment as a cruiser. Rumours of a peaceful settlement of .the existing difficulty between England and Russia continue to be rife, bnt so far nothing of a definite nature has transpired in xegaTd to the situation. The Standard states that the Ameer of Afghanistan is indisposed to press his claim to Penj-deh, and expresses the belief that everything, demanded by Russia has been conceded except Zulufika, which remains Afghan territory. The Newcastle Herald of 11 has a paragraph as follows :— ■" The American schooner Quickstep arrived here yesterday morning from Melbourne. Captain Jacobsen reports that on the 6th, when 25 miles from Cape Howe, he passed a Russian sloop-of-war steering W.S.W., coming from the eastward, but had no communication with her. She had fore-and-aft canvas set, and was steaming," Tuesday. The carpenters at Blenheim have given three months 1 notice to their employers that the working hours will be reduced from 48 to 46 hoars per week. Telegrams from Waikato state that considerable astonishment is felt there at the Government insisting in the Punui railway contract in patting new clauses in the contract providing that work shall be stopped in the event of war with Russia. The contractor for the Turango section, Mr. Isaac Co&tes, expresses his willingness to accept such clauses, provided the Government would compensate for the plant and material in use at the time of the stoppage, and pay for work done. This the Public Works Department would not agree to, and a remonstrance has been forwarded to Wellington. The New Zealand Herald says : *' We understand from the Minister for Public Works that the clauses which have been inserted in the Turango contract is to the effect that in the event of the loan not being raised the Government shall have power to stop the work without being liable to any excessive claim for compensation or for loss. There is nothing about a declaration of war in the contract, but of course that event may form an element in not being able to raise the loan." The Most Rev. Herbert Vaughan, Catholic Bishop of Salford, is a passenger by tbe Orient steamer Austral for Sydney. Itis rumoured that Germany is preparirg a fresh surprise in connection with her colonial annexation policy. / Owing to recent telegrams indicating a probable peaceful settlement of tbe Busso- Afghan question, the New South Wales Government consider it at present unnecessary to close the western channel of Port Jackson as proclaimed in the Government Gazette of the 15th inst. The French ultimatum in reference to the suppression of the Bosphore Egyptien has been presented to the Egyptian Government. It is reported that the latter have refused to accede to the relicensing of that paper as demanded. Admiral Tryon has been directed to visit the- several ports in the Australian. Colonies to confer with the authorities on the subject of their defence. A number of torpedoes-have been procured in Germany. The Admiralty have-engaged the Orient Company's Lusitania as a crosier, and the Coptic has been engaged for New Zealand. A telegraphic dispatch has been received at the War Office . from Sir Gerald Graham, in which he states that the Colonial troops marched pn Saturday last a distance of 14 miles through a pass ' consisting of most difficult country in nine hours, Colonial Richardsdn, commandant of the Australian contingent, conducting tbe retirement of the force in excellent style. Mr. Gladstone states that an honourable settlement of tbe Afghan difficulty is probable* General Komaroff,- meantime, admits having received the pews of the, agreement between England and Russia before March 28, while it is officially , asserted that the Ameer bf Afghanistan would rather abandon Penj-deh to Russia tban permit the British army to occupy Herat. And yet the Ameer, stated on Fridayl ast that he would never surrender an . inch. General

B?£si?*i llu * hh SlotdttßdS lotdttßd tolMiw MM» from Sarakhs and pursue his march clow to Herat, which troops from Oandahar wff reinforce WSDNJBSDAY. The Daily New, announces that it has been decided to withdraw we force under the command of Sir Gerald Graham from Egypt at once. ® " 0 ?^ 1^ 1 ? 111168868 the Prince » Dd Wncess of Wales returned from the South of Ireland to Dublin on Monday, and received an enthusiastic reception along the route, though in some cases mingled with hooting. The French willallow Nubar Pasha time to consult with the S"S "s 1 * *° nn eeMon with the suppression of the Bosphore Bgyptien. m. Gladstone admits in a measure the responsibility of the English Government in regard to its suppression. «..* X t! J? Houße of 000111110118O 00111110118 °n Monday Mr. Gladstone annonnced t nm2 8 Ch £«?« 1 « I * had received a further dispatch from Sir Peter TSXSZ 1 £ Otlt « WW £ 88 £ oI:o I:. la re P ] y to the inquiries made in the communication of the 10th inst., wherein the Government asked the ~ m, ?•. °^ m . l 5W r *° re P° rt on all the circumstances connected j-ith the Penj-deh incident. Sir Peter Lumsden's present dispatch, 25m- t f£ n t£ A b 63'b 63 ' P oo^^ with theversion of the affair recently published by the Russian Government from General Komaroff, and the Cabinet therefore must await further details before communicating Sir Peter Lumsden's dispatch to the House. The statement S^han dSf "l anxiet » «» to the probable result of the BussoThe Russian Baltic fleet are now rendezvoused at Cronstadt, w^ 8 i?£ lYe P re P"» tiol " *> r sea. It is announced that the Imperial Government have chartered the Peninsular and Oriental s.s. aosetta for service as an armed cruiser on the China station, and the Orient steamer Lusitania for a similar service in Australian waters. .. ™.d. d . ce l Gle *?« the Rnwian Minister for Foreign Affairs, states that the British officers who were present at the recent engagement encouraged the Afghans to provoke a Russian attack, and that General Komaroff's dispatches, which have been received in St. Petersburg, amply justify his action ; and that under the circumstances it would have been a neglect of duty it he had failed to attack the Afghans. Dispatches have been received from Sir Peter liumsden in which he reiterates the statements contained in his former message that the Afghans did not provoke the attack. The Russians are compelling the inhabitants of Sarakhs to construct a military road towards Herat. The Standard's special correspondent telegraphs that the Afghans are studiously moderate in their manners towards the Russians. Thursday. Yesterday afternoon the Governor received a cablegram from London with reference to the Russian Afghan difficulty, which indicated that the Colony ought to be prepared with its defences. The Government anticipate that the British Navy will be represented within the next few days in New Zealand waters by two war vessels. Messrs. Levin and Co. have received a cablegram from London confirming the news that the Coptic has been chartered as a cruiser by the Admiralty. She is to come on to Wellington without delay, discharge all her cargo there, and await orders from Home. The reply of Nubar Pasha to the ultimatum of the French Government demanding reparation for the suppression of the Journal Bwplwre Egyptim has been received, and proves to be of an evasive character. The Porte supports Nubar Pasha in his action in suppressing the paper. vv «£ he ' e P° rt oa the recent attack by General Komaroff furnished by Sir Peter Lumsden completely traverses those supplied by General Komaroff, and shows that the Afghans did not advance after the announcement of the agreement arrived at between England and Russia, and that the fighting which took place was forced by General Komaroff. la the House of Commons, Mr. Gladstone asked for a vote of credit for £11,000,000, of which £4,500,000 was intended for operations m the Souaao. In proposing the vote the Premier annonuced that the general situation of foreign affairs rendered it incumbent upon Great Britain to prepare all her forces. General Wolseley will return to England. The Government are not prepared to abandon the operations at present being conducted in Egypt, but reserve full liberty of action for the future. The Indian troops now in Egypt will prove sufficient to hold Souakim, the British forces being reserved for any emergency that may arise. *v Za- '£ nd Ot Com P an y's steamer Bosetta has been engaged by the Admiralty as a cruiser. Persistent Teports are in circulation to the effect that the Powers will endeavour to compel Turkey to maintain strict neutrality in the event of war creaking out.